What do you do if local businesses and entrepreneurs are not interested in collaborating with teachers?

1 Identify your goals and needs

Before you reach out to any potential partners, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and what you need from them. Do you want to invite them as guest speakers, mentors, or judges? Do you want to involve them in a project-based learning activity, a case study, or a field trip? Do you want to align your curriculum with their industry standards, skills, or challenges? Having a specific and realistic goal and need will help you communicate your value proposition and expectations to the local businesses and entrepreneurs.

3 Craft a personalized and compelling pitch

When you contact your prospects, it's important to craft a personalized and compelling pitch that shows you have done your research and understand their goals and challenges. You can reach out to them through email, phone, or social media, but make sure to use a clear and catchy subject line or headline, address them by name, explain who you are and why you are contacting them, highlight the benefits of collaborating with you and your students, provide details and examples of what the collaboration would entail, include a clear and specific call to action with a deadline, and follow up politely and persistently until you get a response.

4 Build trust and rapport

Once you get a positive response from your prospects, it's important to build trust and rapport to establish a successful collaboration. To do this, you should be respectful, professional, and flexible; show genuine interest in their work and expertise; listen to their needs, feedback, and suggestions; communicate clearly and regularly; provide support and guidance; and recognize and celebrate their contributions. Doing these things can help you forge strong relationships with your prospects.

5 Evaluate and improve

Once the collaboration has concluded, it’s important to evaluate and improve your process and outcomes. Gathering feedback from partners, students, and colleagues can help you measure the impact and effectiveness of the collaboration , as well as identify strengths and weaknesses . Additionally, sharing the results and outcomes of the collaboration can help maintain and nurture relationships with partners. Lastly, seeking new opportunities and partners for future collaborations will ensure continued success.